7. New Orleans Pelicans - Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
All aboard the Carter Bryant hype train. Over the last couple of months, I'm not sure if there's any player in the NBA Draft that has risen more than Carter Bryant. Just a couple of months ago, there were whispers that he could be a late first-round pick. Now, there's a growing consensus that he's going to be taken in the lottery, and a trend that he could be selected in the top 10. I'm not sure what to make of all this hype, but it's certainly real.
Looking to make a splash as the New Orleans Pelicans explore the idea of continuing to build around Zion Williamson, Bryant could be viewed as an appealing option. His athleticism leaps off the screen when watching his highlights, and even if his floor is a contributing 3-and-D option, that would be worth the high-ceiling risk. Bryant is still very much a mystery at this point in the pre-draft process, but sometimes you just have to bet on the "what if."
8. Brooklyn Nets - Tre Johnson, G, Texas
As the Brooklyn Nets look to start their rebuild, it probably would've been ideal for them to move up in the NBA Draft Lottery. However, that didn't happen. In fact, they ended up moving down instead. Nevertheless, the Nets will be looking to make lemonade out of lemons with this selection. One player who could be a step in that direction is Tre Johnson out of Texas. Even though he didn't have the best or most complete freshman season, he does have the potential and talent to be an intriguing selection.
The Nets have a couple of things they need to accomplish with this draft selection. First, they need to draft a player that the fan base can be excited about. Second, the Nets need to find a prospect that could seemingly be part of a fresh, new foundation for the franchise. In many ways, Johnson checks both of those boxes. As an extremely talented offensive player, Johnson has the potential to be one of the steals late in the top 10.